Editorial | GOP and voter fraud: 'It is us'

Republicans, in their zeal to root out so-called vote fraud around the country - and especially in the "battleground" states so critical to electing the next president - have succeeded at last!

They have found it in Florida where a company hired by Republican Party officials and run by a former Republican Party executive is accused of possible vote fraud. Mortified state and national Republican Party officials promptly fired the company, whose employees are suspected of improper voter registration practices in 10 Florida counties.

Self-righteous Republicans who have embarked on a national mission to stop supposed vote fraud might consider the words of Pogo, a character in the long-running comic strip by the late Walt Kelly:

"We have met the enemy and he is us."

Pogo, a philosophical opossum, was referring to needless environmental damage caused by humans to his habitat, the Okefenokee Swamp.

But he could well have been referring to the needless damage of this Republican drive to eliminate purported vote fraud - a drive that has resulted in harsh and likely unconstitutional voter ID laws in more than two dozen states. These laws appear squarely aimed at suppressing votes of the poor, elderly and minority citizens more likely to vote Democratic.

Many such laws face legal challenges and on Tuesday, voters in Pennsylvania scored a huge win when a state judge blocked a controversial voter identification law in a state considered crucial to the current presidential contest. While the law - a signature accomplishment of Pennsylvania's Republican-controlled legislature and Republican governor - was promoted as a clean election bill, one lawmaker gave lie to that when he blurted out the truth

"Voter ID, which is gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania, done," Mike Turzai, Pennsylvania's Republican House majority leader announced after passage of the bill, ticking it off as a major accomplishment.

The sponsor of the bill, Republican legislator Daryl Metcalf, showed his contempt for Pennsylvania's impoverished, elderly or disabled voters by claiming only those "too lazy" to get an ID would be blocked from voting.

Equally appalling is a bizarre movement called "True the Vote," a network of conservative volunteers with tea party ties who are spreading out in various states to challenge the rights of individuals to vote, forcing such citizens to justify their eligibility. So far, virtually no fraud has been detected.

Cincinnati voter Teresa Sharp this year became a target when volunteers challenged her right to vote in Hamilton County, Ohio, the New YorkTimes reported. An outraged Ms. Sharp had to show up at the election board to defend her right to vote, which was upheld.

But undeterred, True the Vote moves on.

Among its more fantastical claims is the sighting of a bus some of its leaders have publicly claimed shows up in some states ferrying dozens of questionable voters to various polling places where they register and vote en masse, according to the Times story.

Officials in states of these supposed sightings have found no evidence of this mystery bus. Yet True the Vote speakers cite it as truth, even as they scour voter registration rolls for what they view as potential abuse and show up as self-proclaimed election observers to scrutinize those attempting to cast their ballots.

The real abuse here is from such groups who are exploiting laws - and apparently some highly gullible followers -to advance a political agenda.

It is now five weeks to the election. Lets's hope the courts will continue to block the most egregious laws and activities of such zealots.

Because the enemy here does not appear to be a handful of people bent on casting fraudulent ballots.

Just ask Pogo.

Louisville, Kentucky • Southern Indiana

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Editorial | GOP and voter fraud: 'It is us'

Republicans, in their zeal to root out so-called vote fraud around the country ? and especially in the 'battleground' states so critical to electing the next president ? have succeeded at last!